Car-friendly and affordable to build, strip malls sprung up across Canada in the 1950s — and with them, countless convenience stores and greasy spoons. Some see them as a scourge, representing lazy architecture and offering little in terms of curb appeal.

But don’t dismiss the lowly strip mall so quickly. Once reserved almost exclusively for dive bars and nail salons, strip malls are now home to some of the best restaurants on the Prairies. Here are just five of them.

Hearth (Saskatoon)

Stepping into Hearth, it’s hard to believe that once upon a very recent time, the space was a party joint called The Crazy Cactus. Where garish plastic Mexican flags and cheap paper lanterns once hung, there’s now geometric light fixtures and beautiful woven tapestries. But the fun factor wasn’t totally removed; step inside the “sit down” bathroom (versus the “stand up” option) to experience what can only be described as truly sublime bunny wallpaper.

Opened by Saskatoon locals Beth Rogers and Thayne Robstad in 2018, Hearth serves up ingredient-forward comfort food in a contemporary setting. Trust us: This isn’t time to skip appetizers; order the wild and cultivated mushrooms with melty cheese.hearth.restaurant

Frickin’ Delights Donuts (Devon, Alta.)

In this neck of the woods, you’re deep in Tim Hortons country — but Timmy’s isn’t the only donut shop in town. Owned and operated by Mandy Woytkiw (a former nurse) and her husband, Cory (a former electrician), Frickin’ Delights first acquired a cult following at Edmonton’s Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market. But when Woytkiw’s business outgrew her renovated laundry room, the duo launched a KickStarter to fund their first bakery.

Now in its second year of operation, Frickin’ Delights is a popular stopping spot on the road cycling circuit. Its inventive vegan donuts include chocolate earl grey, root beer sparkle and rhubarb apple cider — all of which are downright delightful. frickindelights.com

Enoteca (Winnipeg)

It didn’t take long after Enoteca opened for the accolades to come rolling in. Located in Winnipeg’s River Heights neighbourhood, the French/American wine bar was named one of the top new restaurants by both the Winnipeg Free Press and enRoute in 2015. Most amazing of all, it’s housed in a strip mall space that was formerly a Quiznos. In a space where sandwiches were once assembled by teenagers, diners now sit to try Enoteca’s shareable meat-heavy plates, like the dungeness crab with smoked duck and chive oil, or the beef tartare with bone aioli, quail egg and foie gras. enotecarestaurant.ca

Empire Provisions (Calgary)

Any good strip mall should have food that’s quick and easy to purchase. Usually, this comes in the form of bad egg salad sandwiches or plastic-wrapped cookies. It doesn’t have to be that way. Calgary’s Empire Provisions is a reimagined butchery, where the hormone-free meat is sourced from local farmers. But what Calgarians come here for is the on-site café’s sandwiches. We’re talking beef brisket, slow-roasted pork belly, and even beet cutlet (yes, beet) sandwiches. Whatever you order, you can’t go wrong. empireprovisions.com

Hunter Gatherer (Regina)

Here’s the thing: Strips malls are kind of the perfect location for greasy spoons. We get it. You can basically roll out of your car and directly towards a meal, making them the perfect solution for a lazy Sunday. That’s why we’re pretty happy to include Hunter Gatherer on this list. The diner will fulfill exactly that craving, with mac n’cheese, chocolate milkshakes, and breakfast poutine on-offer. We should probably also point out that this joint is entirely vegetarian, but if you don’t tell your meat-eating friends, we promise they won’t even notice. facebook.com/huntergathererYQR